This patent application was previously submitted as a Disclosure Document, number 462912, on Sep. 28, 1999.
1. Field of the Invention
The present Invention relates to a device that is mounted upon the shoulders of a person and is structured so that said person may carry another person therein. More specifically, the present Invention relates to a chair like shoulder mounted device for carrying small children.
2. Prior Art
There are several well-known methods for carrying a person, typically a child, upon the shoulders, back or front of a second person. Devices that position the child behind the back or to the front of the carrier have the disadvantage of creating a significant moment arm about the torso of the carrier, thus causing excess loads to be directed particularly to the waist and, through shoulder straps, to the shoulders. These loads allow the carrying of anyone much larger than a small infant practically impossible. Therefore, the ideal position for the center of gravity of the child should be directed as closely as possible over the vertical centerline of the carrier.
It is then considered that the ideal position for the load is upon the head of the carrier, and so it is that smaller loads are thus sometimes carried. However, the location above the head of the carrier creates another long moment arm about the center of support (the waist) and so, for all practical purposes, the ideal position for carrying any large load, and especially a child of any size, is upon the shoulders.
The preferred method should be structured so that the carried person is fastened securely to the device, which in turn is fastened securely to the carrier, thus freeing the arms and hands of the carrier from the encumbrance of providing support. Furthermore, to ensure the safety of the child, the preferred method would have the child fastened securely to the device before it is hoisted onto the shoulders of the carrier. The preferred method should also be easily mounted onto and dismounted from the carrier""s shoulders, and the carrier should require no assistance in this task from a second person who would not always be available.
The devices shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,968,910, 4,416,403 and 4,484,700 are all similar in one respect the carrying device must be mounted onto the carrier before the child is mounted upon the shoulders. If the carried person were to be secured into the device prior to mounting, it would then only be possible to mount the carrier from the back because the length of the framework prevents mounting the device from the front. This then assumes the assistance of a second person, if available, as it would be difficult if not impossible for the carrier to mount unaided the devices with a child secured therein.
The design described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,403 shows an arrangement wherein the empty device is mounted onto the carrier and the child lifted up and onto the carrier""s shoulders. But there then remains the problem of fastening the retaining straps about the child, which the carrier must do blindly while at the same time restraining the child from falling, a difficult task at best, and in the worst case somewhat dangerous.
The design shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,700 has as its sole method of retention a pair of straps for the child""s feet, which allow the upper half of the child""s body several degrees of freedom and occasion for discomfort as the child sways and rocks, alternately contacting the side rails, the back support and the back of the carrier""s head.
The design shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,910 has the same shortcomings as U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,700 but without even the use of the foot straps.
Whatever the merits, features and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieves or fulfills the purposes of the present invention.
The object of the present invention is four-fold: it is designed so that it supports a child comfortably upon the shoulders of the carrying person; its frame must be dimensioned so that the carrier may, without the assistance of a second person, mount it to the shoulders from a position in front of the carrier and dismount it in a like manner; it is secured to the carrier by a system of straps, buckles and/or locks; and it comfortably secures the carried person to the carrying device with a second system of straps and buckles. The present invention accomplishes all of these tasks concurrently.